


Show Me The Father and I'll Show You the Child

by BA1007



Category: Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Angst, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Steve Angst, Steve Feels, Superfamily, Superhusbands, Superhusbands (Marvel), Tony Angst, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-16
Updated: 2013-12-16
Packaged: 2018-01-04 19:38:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1084932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BA1007/pseuds/BA1007
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Letting go, is one of the hardest things Tony has to do. Especially when it's his son he's letting go of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Show Me The Father and I'll Show You the Child

**Author's Note:**

> Based this fic of the season finale of the first season of Army Wives. It's a good show, okay! 
> 
> P.S. Please excuse the possible typos and/or grammatical errors.

Peter had a been waiting for the day to go to college since he graduated high school. He couldn't believe there were only three days left. MIT. Just like his dad. The day he got that acceptance letter, was the the most bittersweet day of his life, up until now of course.

  
He was leaving the tower. The tower he’d spent most of his life in. The tower that was his first home, after Steve and Tony had adopted him. The tower where he’d learned how to fight, and become an Avenger. The same tower that had made the best memories between him, his parents and his aunt and uncles. He would miss all of them, but he knew he was ready for the next chapter in his life to begin.

  
He'd finally packed the last of his belongings into the overly stuffed suitcase. "You got it there, bud?" Tony asked, leaning against the door frame, with an bitten apple in his hand. He was trying so hard to act as if Peter leaving, wasn’t the biggest deal. In reality the billionaire couldn't believe that his son was following in his footsteps. Tony felt that it was just yesterday when Peter had started his first day of preschool. And there he was, eagerly ready for the four long college years to begin  
Peter pushed down the last corner, to close the suitcase. “Yeah I’ve got,” he said grunting at the zipper. Peter picked up his suitcase and passed Tony, heading to the living room.

  
“Woah hold on!” Tony caught his attention. Peter forcibly turned around, as his eyes rolled to his dad. Tony walked to a shelf in the corner of Peter’s room, where a miniature version of dum-e sat, collecting dust. He pointed at it with his hand, holding the apple. “You’re not taking little Dum-E?” The machine shifted it’s claw downward, in sadness.

  
Peter slumped his shoulders, letting go of the suitcase “It doesn’t fit anywhere.”

  
“But I made it for you when you were young?” Tony answered back a little childishly. There was a short pause in which the two looked at each other, expecting to do what the other wanted him to do. Steve came into the room, interrupting the stare down.

  
“It’s almost time to go Pete and your dad still has to go to his job and fill out some paperwork real quick before he drops you off,” Steve said, shifting his gaze towards Tony. Peter gave Tony a mocking grin, in victory.

  
Tony pinched the upper part of his nose line, remembering he still needed to go to the office “Right. I completely forgot about that.” The brunette looked back at Peter. “You're taking it with you, when you come back for Christmas break.” Tony threw the apple in the trash and helped Peter carry some stuff out to their car.

  
Steve helped Peter with his jacket. “I’m really proud of you, son,” The blond said, fixing his sons collar. “I’m really sorry I can’t go drop you off, with your father. SHIELD has me working on some case. A guy called The Winter Soldier and won’t let me have a break.” Personally, Peter didn’t mind only having Tony dropping him off. It would only make things harder on both of the, but he knew how important this was to Steve.

  
“Thanks Pops, and like I said before, It’s okay I understand. SHIELD work, is SHIELD work,” Peter gave Steve a smile, and I light nod.

  
“I know you’ll do great over there. ” Steve said, embracing his son, in between his gentle, crushing arms. Peter knew this kind of hugs. These were the types of hugs Steve gave when he cared, and loved something so much, wanted to live in these moments for just a few seconds more. And that’s exactly what Peter did. He hugged Steve back. “I love you, son,” Steve whispered. The soldier never thought the day would come. He never, imagined he would have to let go of the child he’d spent years taking care of. His eyes began tearing up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect to get this emotional.”

  
“I love you too, Pops,” Peter said to Steve’s warm chest.

  
Tony came back inside, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Okay, that’s the last of it. Pepper just texted me to hurry, that it’s an emergency, so we’d better go.” Steve released Peter from his loving grip, and Peter felt like he could finally breath again.

  
Steve walked the two to the car. He opened the passenger door for Peter, as he sled in. “Let me know, when you guys arrive, okay?” Steve said leaning against the car. The two men in the car nodded.

  
Tony put his sunglasses on, and leaned against Peter to get a good look his husband. “I’ll call you when I’m on my way home, okay?” Steve nodded. Tony turned on the car, and was on his way. Steve stood there for a second.

  
All the loving memories of the three of them. The happiness, and the heartache. Steve was baffled by the idea, that through all of that, they managed to become the family they were. The blond smiled, and went back inside the tower.

 

//////////////////

 

“Okay I really shouldn’t take that long. I don’t really know what I’m signing, but if it wasn’t important, Pep wouldn’t of made me come. Do you want to just wait for me here?” Tony said, pulling into Stark Industries. Peter looked at him, smiled, and chuckled a little.

  
“Yeah sure, I don’t feel like making Aunt Pepper cry again.” Tony nodded. He opened the car door, and headed to the building. Peter picked his earphones from his pocket and began listening to the music on his phone. After about three songs, he saw a white, oddly shaped van pull into the parking lot. The vehicle parked a few parking spots to the right of the car Peter was in.

  
At first Peter didn’t think too much about. It was probably inventory. Then, he read the logo on the side of the car. “AIM”. He knew exactly what that stood for. Peter remembered the bedtime story Tony told him, where Iron Man had to fight a bad organization called AIM. Peter saw a man step out of the driver seat. His body was bigger than usual. Not fatter, but bulkier. As if he was hiding something under his button-up shirt. The man walked into the building looking left and right. Peter couldn’t ignore how suspicious the guy seemed. After a few minutes, he walked out of the car himself, and followed the man, and to warn his dad about the AIM van.

 

////////////////////

 

“You’re late,” Pepper hastily rushed over towards the genius. She was carrying a manilla folder with what looked like the folders Tony was supposed to sign.  
Tony met her halfway to the middle of the lobby. “Yeah, and I’m about to be even more late to Peters school orientation.”

  
“That is why I took the liberty to bring these down to you,” She smirked, pulling a strand of hair back over her ear. Tony received the pen and paper work from her. He opened the pen with his mouth, holding the cap in his mouth. He began signing each and every dotted line he saw. Not even taking a glance, at what he was signing for.

  
“How is he?” Pepper asked.

  
“Fine. Really excited to finally leave.” Tony answered with a bit more sass than usual, not taking his eyes off the paperwork.

  
Pepper had spent most of her adult life with Tony. She knew him all too well. So when Tony replied, she knew that, that kind of response meant that he cared, but wanted to do anything, but talk about his feelings. “You know he’s going to come back, right? Not just for his breaks, but after college. He’ll be back.” She stared at Tony, doing everything in his power to not look back at her. Pepper stopped Tony from signing, and made him look at her. Tony’s eyes moved towards her. “He’s going to be back, Tony.”

  
Tony, still holding the pen in his mouth, looked up at Pepper, teary eye. “I know that Pep, I’m fine. Bel-” A loud shout interrupted him. The two looked to the direction, from which the shout came from.

  
“Sir, what do you have underneath your shirt!?” A security guard shouted at the lumpy shaped man, walking past him. The man pulled up his shirt, revealing six cylinder shaped bombs, strapped to his vest. The security guard pulled out his gun nervously pointing it directly at the man. “Sir I- I’m going to have to ask you to stand down.” The bomber, held up a handle with a red button on the top of it.

  
There were about twenty-five people in the lobby, and everyone froze all at the same time. was this really happening? People began to run away frantically. “Nobody moves, if you want to live!” The man pressed the button. “Once I let go of the button, this shit-hole will become nothing, but rubble!”

  
Tony released the grip from the pen cap in his mouth, letting it fall to the ground. The bomber was thirty feet away from him. Pepper froze standing somewhat behind Tony, whispering. “Tony y- you have to do something.” Everything in him wanted to do something, to stop the guy, but he had no suit with him. Saving people from a bomber, was the last thing he expected to do today. All he was going to do was take a road trip with Peter, and drop him off at college.

  
PETER!

  
Tony widen his eyes. Peter was still in the car, waiting for him! “Pepper, Peter is in the car. We- I- I have do something!” He whispered. Tony felt completely useless, try to think of something to do to help stop the man. He began feeling shortness of breath, watching all of this happen. He felt tension and anxiety from everything that was going on. It was like he could feel all the veins in his body pumping blood faster and faster.

  
People began crying and shrieking in fear. The bomber lifted his hand up in the air. “I swear to god, if everyone doesn’t shut the fuck up I WILL let go of this button!”  
Someone rushed in through the door behind the bomber. The first thing Tony thought, was that it was someone coming to stop all of this. The police? S.W.A.T.? SHIELD? maybe even the rest of The Avengers?

  
Tony’s world stopped when he realized who it really was. Peter rushed into the lobby, looking at no one, but Tony. “Dad! I think AIM is here. I saw there van parked a few spots away from ours.” He was so unaware of what was going on, Peter didn’t realize he was standing next to the bomber.

  
“Peter…”

  
In those few short seconds, Tony felt like it was just him and Peter. No one was else was there. In those few short seconds. The universe paused everything it was doing. The world stopped spinning. The wind stopped blowing. Sound stopped making noise.

  
Tony saw his baby boy’s face, surrounded in a blinding white light.

 

//////////////////

 

“Dad I think we have to pull in right here,” Peter said. He pointed to a rode up ahead with his bruised arm. They finally arrived at MIT. It was here. Peters future was right in front of him. Welcoming him. He had the biggest smile Tony had ever seen. Tony slowed the car down, and turned right, into the campus parking lot. After ten minutes of trying to find a parking spot, they finally found one relatively close to his dorm.

  
The two men stepped out of the car, revealing their noticeably harmed bodies. Tony’s wasn’t as bad as Peter’s. Just a few healing wounds, and a couple of red scraped on his head. The visibly worst you could see, was a bandaged arm. Peter on the other hand, had taken most of the damage. Not only did he have major bruises, and a healing gash on the right of his forehead, the whole left side of his body, the side facing the bomber, was bright pink. His arms and face were slowly, but surely healing.

  
“Here let me help you with that,” Peter took the suitcase from his dads hand, not giving him a chance to answer back. Tony carried two bags on his right hand, and Peter was pulling his suitcase, as they walked to the dorm. Once they got to the dorm building, Peter said “You know you don’t have to come with me. You don’t have to.”

 

Tony placed the bags he carried on the floor. He was still sore from it all. “No, Believe me Peter I want to!” he said, squinting at the pain in his arm.  
“But there are people hurting. Pops needs you to help him take care of all of them”

  
“We planned this, and nothing is gonna get in the way.” Tony said with his million dollar smile, trying to hide his pain.

  
They were heading to Peter dorm in the third floor. Someone, a dorm administrator, stopped them in the middle of the stair. “Wait? Aren’t you Tony Stark?” The man said. Peter looked down at his dad, and Tony simple smiled and gave a slight nod, “That’s so awesome you’re a legend here! I can’t believe his son is going to fill his shoes!” He said, a little too excited. “Here, do you guys need any help? I’m more than free to help both of you out.” The admin. picked up the bags Tony had placed the floor.

  
“Thanks…” Tony looked for his name tag. “... Alan! My son is about to embark on his new chapter, and enter one of the most prestigious universities in the country… or however you want to put, and he’s already missed registration.” Tony said, with a mocking smile. Peter and Alan chuckled, walking to the dorm.

  
“And two days of class.” Peter added.

  
Alan placed the bags down in front of the Peter’s dorm entrance. He stopped and looked at the wounds, the two had. “The bandages, mind if I ask? What happened?” Peter turned towards Tony.

  
Tony sighed. “We were in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

  
“Oh man, well I hope you two are doing okay?”

  
“We are. It was pretty difficult in the beginning, but we are doing much better now. Thanks, and thanks for helping out,” Peter replied.

  
“Anytime,” And with that, Alan was off.

 

////////////////////

 

After finally unpacking their car, Tony and Peter decided to go walk around the campus. It was like a trip down memory lane for Tony. He remembered everything that was there. Other people began getting near him, and form a bit of a crowd, before security stopped it from getting out of line. Tony insisted that he was here for Peter, and no one else.

  
They finally got a little privacy, in which they decided to go to Peter’s classrooms. They went to each classroom on campus, and met the professors. After that, They slowly walking through the paved campus, eating a small cup of ice cream from a stand that was on campus. “So you know where to go tomorrow, right?”

  
“Dad. We went to each classroom, twice. I promise you I know where to go. Do you remember when you told me to let you know when you are acting like a parent?” Peter asked, smiling at Tony.

  
Tony laughed. “Yeah, yeah, yeah… I’m just a little nervous for you, that’s all.”

  
The two walked around the campus a little more in silence. Tony knew he would have to leave soon, and he would have to start saying his last goodbyes. Figuring out what to say was another story. After a few minutes Tony looked at Peter. “When I came to MIT, my mom dropped me off because my dad was too busy. She didn’t really say a whole lot, not that I wanted her to because she was definitely a cryer, and I had already seen too much of that,” Tony grinned. “She did tell me this, and sorry for getting a little sappy, but this was an old Irish saying that she loved. Show me the friend, and I’ll show you the man.”

  
Peter nodded. “Yeah dad, I get it. Choose your friends wisely.” Peter rolled his eye a little. Enough for self-satisfaction, but not enough to where Tony saw.  
“It’s really important Pete, it all is. From college, to your future career. Promise me you’ll remember that.” Tony said. As serious, as a parent. He  
Peter realized his dad was being serious, and took everything he was saying in consideration. “Yeah dad, I promise I will.”

  
There was a calming silence, in which Tony took the liberty to give his taller son a hug. “I love you Peter.” Tony felt the heat radiating from Peter’s pink burn scars. Peter hugged him back, and finally realized he was going to live without the two most important people in his life.

  
Later that afternoon, The two were back Peter’s dorm room. Tony was fixing the last few things up in Peter’s desk. He organized organized some papers on Peter’s desk, and placed them next to a frame with a picture of Steve, Peter, and himself smiling, on the balcony of the Tower. Tony picked up the frame and handed it off to his son. “Remember this bud?” a light smile came across Tony’s face.

  
Peter received it, and smiled back. “How could I forget? Dads birthday. We decided to do something simple, and just throw a barbeque.” Peter looked at it for a moment. The realization finally hit him. He wasn’t going to live at home for a while. The thought made Peter voice begin to falter, as he moved to sit on his bed. “He- Here we are… perfect…”

Tony walked closer to his son. “What’s wrong Pete? You were excited. I thought you wanted this,” He said in a soft tone, he rarely would use.

  
“I don’t think I can do this without you guys,” Peter responded. He looked down at the picture again, and his eye began to water.

  
“Pete. I know you can. This is who you are.” Tony sat next to him, squinting at the dull pain on his side. “I remember on the first day of kindergarten, you had your lunch packed the night before. You even showed your pops, and I twice, just to make sure you aren't forgetting anything. You had your clothes laid out and everything. You were dragging us to the classroom, so you could meet your teacher.” Peter laughed a little, before wiping the tear, wanting to fall. “And when the bell rang, you just froze. You clung to our legs, afraid. We both hugged and kissed you one last time, and the walked away, just like that book said to do.” Tony stared at his son, trying not to cry himself. “We looked back at you, and you were still standing their. For a second I was about to run back to you, and pick you up, but your dad stopped me. You took a deep breath, smiled, waved goodbye, and walked through the doors.” Peter couldn't take it anymore. Tears stained his cheeks, while they raced down. “This is the same thing, Peter. Just take a breath, and start walking.” Tony reached out to hug Peter one last time, when Peter threw beat him to it. The two embraced each other, letting the tear fall without hesitation.

 

///////////////////

 

Peter walked Tony back to the car. He had his arm around his dads shoulders. The two walked without saying a word.

  
Everyone around them was dressed in white. White t-shirts, white dresses, white jackets. Every student walking past the, seemed to be so happy, so full of innocence. Even Peter. He had a white long sleeve button up. It was tucked behind his white dress pants. Everyone was in white. Everyone except Tony. He wore a white and black baseball shirt, with a light jacket over it, and blue jeans. The same clothes he had on, the day of the bombing.

  
They reached the car. Before he got inside, Tony turned to look at his son. He paused for a second. He was perfect. No scrapes or pink burn scars over his skin. He was better than perfect. Flawless. Peter smiled back at him. “It’s going to be okay, dad. I’m going to be okay,” he assured Tony. “Pops, aunt Nat and aunt Pepper, and my uncles need you now. “It’s not like I won’t see you again.” Peter smiled once more.

  
“Why did you do it Peter? Why did you go into the building?” Tony asked, so worryingly.

  
“For you dad... I went in for you.” Peter replied so peacefully. He paused for a moment looking back at his dad. “Show me the father, and I’ll show you the child.”

  
Peter hugged his dad lightly, so he wouldn’t hurt the wounds he still had. Tony eyes filled with tears, he couldn’t control. He was going to miss his embrace, but Tony this was right. Peter slowly let go, and began walking away. He took a few steps towards the campus, away from his father. Tony wiped away his tears. In that moment, moment Peter looked back at him, smiling. Tony stared back at him, waving goodbye. As much as he hated this. As much as he didn’t want to let him go, Tony knew Peter was right. Everyone back home needed him. Steve needed him. Tony knew this was the best thing to do.

  
Tony looked at his son one more time before a blinding white light surrounded his body.

 

///////////////////

 

Tony opened his eyes to a bright circular light, hovering over his. He was in utter pain. Any small movement he tried making, shot pain throughout his body. He realized only he vision was only clear from his left side of his face. Tony forcibly lifted his arm, trying to feel what was over his eye.

  
Bandages, layers and layers of warm bandages. He realized their was a small cable taped to the back of his hand. He began following the cable, to where it would end. Tony shifted his head up to find a small plastic bag with a clear liquid inside, hanging by a hook. A small beeping sound became more and more clearer. “Tony…” A voice interrupted the beeping. 

  
Steve walked up to his husband, laying in the hospital bed. Tony’s eye focused on the sight of Steve, over him. “Steve…” Tony saw the blondes puffy, bloodshot eyes. From the looks of it, He’d been crying for a while. Everything was finally clear to him. “Peter’s gone isn’t he?” Tony sighed.

  
Steve nodded, trying to let him down easy. Tony’s bottom lip quivered. Immediately, he began sobbing once more. The tears fell, uncontrollably. Steve bent down, towards Tony, covering his face, Crying into his bruised, and broken husbands, shoulder. Their son was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed reading the angst, as much as I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
